Illegitimi non carborundum

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Illegitimi non carborundum is a mock-Latin aphorism jokingly taken to mean "don't let the bastards grind you down".

Contents 1 Variants and etymology 2 Use as a motto 3 Other uses 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Variants and etymology

There are many variants of the phrase, such as

• Nil illegitimi carborundum.
• Non illegitimis carborundum.
• Illegitimi nil carborundum.
• Non illegitimi carborundum.
• Nil bastardo carborundum.
• Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
• Illegitimis non carborundum.
• Illegitimus non carborundum est.
• Nil illegitimo in desperandum carborundum
• Nil carborundum illegitamae
• Noli ilegitimus carborundum

None of the above is correct Latin. Carborundum is not a Latin word but the name of a mineral which is extremely hard and used for grinding. (See Silicon carbide.) The ending -undum suggests a Latin gerundive form, which is typically used to express the sense of "must be" or (in this case) "must not be", as in Cato the Elder's famous speech-ender, "Carthago delenda est" ('Carthage must be destroyed'); however, the word carborundum is actually a portmanteau of "carbon" (from Latin), and "corundum" (from Tamil kurundam).

Illegitimi suggests illegitimate to the English speaker, or bastardo likewise, but the Latin for bastard is actually nothus (from the Greek word notho (νόθο) meaning not-pure, used when referring to a bastard whose father is known) or spurius (for a bastard whose father is unknown).

The phrase has a nonsensical structure—the subject (which is "you") does not appear ("illegitimi" is not the subject - the meaning of the phrase is "YOU must not be ground down by the illegitimate ones")—and the ending would have to agree in gender and number with the subject ("um" is the neuter gender singular ending). Moreover, even if carborundum were a real Latin gerundive and illegitimi a real Latin noun, the gerundive construction would require illegitimi to be in the dative case.

"Nil" or "nihil" is regular Latin for "not at all" or "nothing." The forms with nil may be formed partly on the pattern of the genuine Latin phrase Nil desperandum.

The phrase originated during World War II. Lexicographer Eric Partridge attributes it to British army intelligence very early in the war (using the plural dative, or perhaps they meant ablative – it's the same form: illegitimis). The phrase was adopted by US Army general "Vinegar" Joe Stillwell as his motto during the war.^[1] It was later further popularized in the US by 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.^[2]

[edit] Use as a motto

The following entities use the phrase as their motto:

• The United States submarine USS Tunny (SSN-682)
• The weekly Alaskan newspaper The Nome Nugget
• Whitehorse Daily Star, in the capital of the Yukon Territory
• The Frazier Heli-rappelers in North East Oregon
• University of Idaho Navy ROTC Drill Team
• Portola High School's Class of 1962.
• Toronto FC Supporters Group Red Patch Boys -75 Mile Bastards Chapter
• Laughing Dog Bicycles, a bike shop in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Henry Beard in his 1991 book Latin for Even More Occasions (chapter I) offered some correct Latin for the sentiment, but did so in a section "Dopey Exhortations Are More Forceful in Latin", which might be his comment on the merit of the expression.

Never let the bastards wear you down.
Noli nothi permittere te terere.

The "Old Hobart High School" in Tasmania, Australia, also used the motto "Non Illigitimus Carborundum" on the schools' coat of arms during the 1930's. The motto was quickly and quietly removed and all knowledge of it denied upon the interpretation of the quote in the early to mid 1980's.

[edit] Other uses

• Nil Carborundum, title of a 1962 play and TV comedy by Henry Livings.^[3]
• Nil Carborundum Illegitimo, in Principia Discordia from 1965.^[4]
• Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, in The Handmaid's Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood.
• Illegitimi non carborundum, in Lucifer's Hammer (1977) by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, page 29.
• Illegitimum non carborundum in Ten Thousand Men of Harvard, Harvard's most-frequently played fight song.
• Nil illegitimo carborundum is a maxim credited to the philosopher Didactylos in his famous 'Meditations', in Terry Pratchett's Small Gods.
• Non Illegitimus Carborundum is the school motto of St. Trinians and appears on the school's coat of arms.
• Mentioned with translation by the Member of Parliament for Twickenham Toby Jessel in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on 7 June 1993.^[5]
• Illegitimis non Carborundum is printed on a banner in the artwork for The Toasters' 7th studio album Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down.
• Nil carborundum illegitimis is said by Landon Kettlewell in Cory Doctorow's Makers ^[6]
• "No Lite te Bastardes Carborundum - sign over the exit door of Irish pub Kieran's in Minneapolis, MN.

[edit] See also

• Dog Latin
• List of Latin phrases

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Two alternative explanations